Takes place two years before the Game of Thrones begins.

Chapter 1

Cassana Baratheon sighed as she appraised her appearance in a mirror. Her mother, Cersei Lannister, had always told her how much she looked like her father, Robert Baratheon, King of Westeros. And as much as Ana loved her father, she knew her mother meant it as an insult.

Ana remembered times when she was just a child, before Joffrey and the rest were born. She would sit with her mother and watch Cersei brush her long, golden curls. "It's a shame you don't look more like a Lannister," Cersei would always say wistfully, before looking disdainfully at Ana's dark hair and golden eyes.

Ana couldn't help but agree. Her mother was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, and her little sister Myrcella was already showing signs of being a great beauty. All three of Ana's siblings resembled their mother solely, leaving Ana as the odd one out as she resembled their father.

It wasn't that Ana considered herself ugly. She just felt the differences between herself and her siblings quite keenly. It was obvious Cersei preferred them to Ana. In all honesty, Ana thought herself quite fair when her mother's words weren't ringing in her ears.

Ana knew her mother loved her, but Cersei had the talent, or misfortune, of barbing her words with very little effort. Her voice came out sweet as honey, or with an affectionate touch, accompanied by vicious words; leaving the princess often wanting for the maternal love she never received.

But Cassana's father more than made up for his wife's cruel words. The king doted on his eldest daughter relentlessly, and Ana had reigned first in Robert's heart ever since she was placed in his arms as an infant, dark hair dusting her scalp – her resemblance to him unmistakable.

A soft knock sounded on Ana's chamber door. "Come in!" Ana called, dragging a brush through her hair one more time before setting it aside. Ana's mother, Cersei – a tall, statuesque blonde – swept into the room, coming to stand behind Ana.

It didn't escape Ana's notice how her mother's lips pursed at the sight of her. Cersei then made a meaningless gesture of fluffing her daughter's hair. "You've become a woman, Cassana. You're the same age I was when I married your father," Cersei remarked, turning Ana by her shoulders to face her.

Ana frowned, looking up to her mother. She stood just a few inches taller than she did. "Is there something wrong, Mother?" Ana asked.

Cersei shook her head. "Your father has asked for you. He wants you to join him in his study."

"Oh," Ana said blankly. "Is it around marriage?" she asked curiously. Cersei seemed to be pleased, though Ana could never really be sure.

"Yes. Your father has come to a decision. You will have a husband soon," Cersei answered.

Surprisingly, Ana wasn't worried. She held faith in her father, that he would choose a man that was good for her. And truthfully, Ana had always known that she would enter a marriage that was not of her own design. But she had always held hope that her marriage would eventually become a love match. She only feared her future marriage becoming that of her parents'. Ana did not fool herself into believing her parents' union was a happy one.

"Alright, mother. I'll go," Ana remarked, ready to leave her mother's venomous presence. But Cersei slipped her arm around her daughter's shoulders, guiding her through the door.

"I'm your mother, Cassana. I'm coming with you," Cersei remarked in a reproachful tone, as if she couldn't figure out why Ana would want to go without her. Ana merely sighed and nodded, allowing her mother to guide her through the castle.

When they reached the King's study, Ana rapped her fist on the door lightly before entering. Her father sat at his grand desk, peering down at the schools in front of him as if they had personally offended him. He looked up as the door opened, and smiled at the sight of Ana. "Come in, Poppet! Come sit beside your dear ol' Da," Robert requested, putting the bench beside him.

Ana smiled back instantly, moving through the cluttered study to sink on the bench next to her father. He wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her tight to his warm body for a moment.

Robert's expression became more forced as Cersei followed her daughter in, lazily taking a seat in front of the desk. "I did not summon you, Cersei." He said, a cutting edge to his voice that Ana only heard when her father spoke to her mother, or her mother's family.

Cersei looked furious at her dismissal in front of Ana. She looked to her daughter for help, and saw that Cassana carefully avoided her gaze. "I think you forget, my King, that Ana is my daughter just as much as she is yours," Cersei remarked in ill-contained anger.

Robert sneered back at her. "Ah, yes. And such a devoted mother you are," he retorted nastily, his warm arm around Ana the whole time to remind her of his love. Again, Cersei searched for some sort of defense from her daughter, only to find that Ana was again avoiding her gaze, her cheeks colored with embarrassment. "No, I think it best if this conversation was between Cassana and I alone."

With those words, Cersei leapt from her seat and stormed out. "I think she might make you pay for those words, Da." Ana remarked quietly, looking up to her father in concern.

Robert waved a hand, dismissing the notion immediately. "Bah! Your mother can do nothing but complain about me to your Uncle Jaime, who can, in turn, do nothing." He shook his head, as if ridding himself of the thought.

"Do you know why I have called you here, little dove?" Robert asked her in a gentler tone, squeezing Ana to his side again.

"Because you have found me a husband," Ana responded simply, looking up at her father with the same golden eyes he boasted. Robert beamed at the features he saw reflected in his daughter.

"That's why you're my favorite. Quick as a whip," Robert told her, pressing a kiss to her head. He didn't bother to add the thought 'You're all Baratheon.' The only feature Robert's daughter shared with her mother was the frailer, more delicate bone structure, rather than the big-boned, meatier form of the Baratheon House. There was no doubt to who Ana's father was, unlike the ambiguous features of his three younger children, who resembled their mother solely. Robert reveled in that fact, and consequently favored his eldest child over the younger ones.

'Well, someone had to,' Robert reasoned with himself. 'Cersei treats the child like she's dirt, somehow convincing Ana that she's ugly for not resembling her. Someone had to love her. And I couldn't help it.' Ana blinked up at her father, waiting for him to continue. "I have secured you a husband. The son of my most loyal friend." Robert informed her.

Ana raised an eyebrow. The only friend of her father's that she could think of was Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell. He had only one trueborn son of marriageable age. "Robb Stark?" Ana suggested, a little hope in her voice.

The Starks had come to King's Landing nearly four years ago, and Ana had loved them. She had had a hopeless crush on Robb, then sixteen (and she twelve), who was always so kind. Only once, of course, he had discovered she wasn't a spoiled brat of a Princess, unlike her other royal siblings.

Robert beamed at his daughter. "How did you guess?" He questioned.

Ana shrugged, daintily. "There is only one man you would refer to as your most loyal friend - Eddard Stark. And he only has one true-born son of marriageable age- unless, of course, you plan to wed me to an eight year old," Ana reasoned, to which her father laughed and shook his head.

"No, poppet, you will be Robb Stark's bride. I have just received word from Winterfell of Ned's agreement, to bind our families together as they should have been, years ago," Robert remarked, his eyes becoming distant. Ana knew he thought of Lyanna Stark. He had intended to marry her, but Rhaegar Targaryen had stolen her. And killed her, it seemed. So Ana's father had to settle for marrying Cersei – and they clearly despised each other.

Robert did not like to talk about Lyanna, and Cersei seemed to hate her with a passion, so what Ana knew, she had learned from the Maesters. "Da?" Ana inquired gently, resting her hand on her father's shoulder, drawing him from his reverie.

Robert was quiet for a moment, before patting Ana on the head. "We will leave for Winterfell in five days. Start packing, off you go," he told her.

Ana got to her feet without protest, and made her way to the door, before pausing. "Who will tell Mother that I'm to wed a Stark?" Ana asked, causing a grin to appear on her father's lips.

"You leave that to me, poppet. I will announce your engagement at dinner. Tell no-one till then," Robert bade her. The two shared a mischievous smile, before Ana slipped out of the study, casting a quick glance to see who was the King's guard on duty at this moment.

"Uncle!" Ana exclaimed, grinning at the golden-haired knight, the twin brother of her mother.

"Hello there, little Cassana," Jaime Lannister greeted with a warm smile.

Ana put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot. "I am not so little anymore, Uncle Jaime. I'm sixteen, you know," Ana informed him with a teasing smile.

Jaime leaned down to muss her hair, "And to be married, too, I hear," he added, to which Ana nodded in confirmation.

"Oh, Uncle Jaime, Mother will hate it!" Ana exclaimed with a giggle. "Oh, you'll come to dinner, won't you? There will be fireworks for sure," She asked excitedly, seeing her uncle's expression become intrigued.

"Who is it, then? Who's to be your poor, unfortunate groom?" Jaime asked, making his niece scoff in mock outrage.

"I can't tell you!" Ana sang, gripping her uncle's arms to tug him down to her height, and raised herself onto her tip-toes to press a kiss to his cheek. "You'll just tell Mother, and Da wants it to be a surprise," she explained.

Jaime's brows furrowed, considering who could bring Ana such glee at the thought of marrying, and who his sister would detest. When his brow suddenly smoothed and Jaime smiled, Ana got a little nervous. "I can think of only one family that would enrage your Mother," Jaime told his niece with a smirk.

"Oh, Uncle! Promise me you won't tell! Da's gonna announce it at dinner!" Ana pleaded, clasping her hands in front of her in a semblance of begging.

Jaime winked. "I won't ruin your fun, little Cassana," he promised her.

Ana smiled in relief. "Oh, thank you! You're my favorite Uncle," She gushed, making the man laugh.

"I think Renly and Tyrion would be upset to hear that," Jaime teased, with warmth in his eyes, referring to the other two uncles Ana knew well. Ana had never met her father's brother Stannis; he had not left Dragonstone in years.

"I tell them they're my favorites too," Ana retorted with a smirk that was all Lannister.

"Off you go, Ana. I've let you distract me from my duties long enough," Jaime dismissed her with a teasing grin, sending Ana on her way.

While her Uncle had figured her out, and her father had forbidden her to tell anyone… But Ana had the irresistible urge to tell someone. And she knew exactly who she could trust.

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a Game of Thrones story! This has been sitting in my file folder for ages, and I've just recently decided to dust it off and try it out. I'd love your honest opinions! Please review!